Next To The Jugurs, Among The Mountains To The East, Are The Tanguts, A
Powerful People Who Once Made Zingis Prisoner In Battle; But Having
Concluded Peace, He Was Set At Liberty, And Afterwards Subdued Them.
Among
the Tanguts, there are oxen of great strength, having flowing tails like
horses, and their backs and bellies covered with long hair.
These are
shorter legged than other oxen, but much fiercer, having long, slender,
straight, and very sharp pointed horns, and they are much used for drawing
the great houses of the Moals; but the cows will not allow themselves to be
yoked unless they are sung to at the same time. These animals are of the
nature of the buffalo, for when they see a person clothed in red, they run
furiously upon him to put him to death.
Beyond these are the people of Tebet, who were wont to eat the dead bodies
of their parents, from a motive of piety, considering that to be the most
honourable sepulchre; but they have discontinued this custom, which was
looked upon as abominable by all other nations. They still, however,
continue to make handsome drinking cups of the skulls of their parents,
that they may call them to remembrance even in their mirth. I received this
information from an eye-witness. In their country there is much gold, so
that any one who is in want, digs till he finds enough for his necessities,
and leaves the rest behind for another occasion; for they have an opinion,
that God would conceal all other gold from them in the earth, if they were
to hoard any in their houses.
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